


Hide and Seek

by Rhysanoodle



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 22:43:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15716595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhysanoodle/pseuds/Rhysanoodle
Summary: All characters are the property of Sarah J. Maas





	Hide and Seek

Even with the war against Hybern still looming, days spent in the townhouse seemed never-ending to Elain. Nobody ever invited her to their strategy-planning meetings, and there just wasn’t enough to do to distract Elain from her recurring nightmares about being thrown into the Cauldron.

Lately, she had begun tending to the garden to pass the time. She relished spending as much of her days as possible in the sunlight, but there was only so much she could do each day to keep herself occupied there. Unless she was just going to sit and wait for the flowers to bloom.

Recently, Azriel had taken to sunning his wings in a lawn chair nearby — always reviewing some sort of official-looking reports, but Elain had a sneaking suspicion that his gaze lingered a little too long on her as she had toiled away, working to rejuvenate a landscape which hadn’t had a subtle touch in decades.

One day as she was tending to her rosebuds, she sensed his shadows dancing along the edges of her vision and quickly snapped her head in his direction, trying to catch him in the act of staring at her. She met his gaze, and as his eyes widened, and his golden cheeks blushed, she let out a contented smirk.

Lately they’d been playing a game of cat and mouse. Even though she was certain they were both fully aware of what was stirring between them, neither of them ever acted on their impulses, but Elain and Azriel both tried to sneak glances at each other without the other noticing. And they also tried to provoke a rise out of one another.

Elain was keenly aware that he didn’t have to hold the book he was reading today in a way which so obviously flexed his enormous muscles. On the other hand, even though the skirts and petticoat of her dress were voluminous, today she’d chosen one with a tight-fitting bodice whose neckline dipped far lower than most she wore on any ordinary day. And it did wonders for her cleavage anytime she bent over to trim at a bush or pluck a weed. She _may_ have subtly turned in his direction whenever she had to perform such a task.

Smiling at the thought of his eyes roving over her, she returned her attention to watering her flowers, humming a lilting tune she’d picked up during her months in Velaris.

A broad shadow towered over her, and she turned to find Azriel almost flush against her, hazel eyes flickering wickedly. _Finally._ She hadn’t wanted to be the one who broke their unspoken truce first — the one who caved — but as she drank in the sight of his bare-chested body next to her, she knew she was in way over her head.

She longed for the attentions of the Shadowsinger. He was the only friend she had who had even fully realized the trauma she was going through. The only one who had recognized her newly-formed gifts. But she needed _more_ of him.

As she met his gaze, he murmured, “I’m sure when they blossom, they’ll be almost as beautiful as you are.”

Feeling her pulse begin to rise and her core tighten, she shushed him, hastily looking around to make sure none of her friends or sisters were watching, and pulled him into the townhouse, dragging him up the staircase and into her bedroom. After shutting the door behind them, Azriel was on her in an instant, his lips finding hers, a deep-seated longing in his touch. He had clearly been craving the contact as much as she was.

As she grazed her nails down his bare back, he purred, “ _Oh, Elain._ ”

His hands began roaming, at one point lightly brushing and tickling her sides, and forcing her to giggle, “ _Az_ , stop it!”

They were shaken from their embrace as Nesta yelled out, “Elain!” Stomping noises could be heard as she clearly began to make her way towards Elain’s door from the adjacent bedroom.

Az briefly scanned the room for anywhere to he could hide. There was nothing suitable. The bed was too low to the ground, and the closet door was practically next to the one Nesta was sure to barge through any second now. There was just no time for him to make it.

Before Elain could even process what was happening, he slipped under her billowing skirts, and she felt the mighty Illyrian warrior curl into a ball between her thighs, his smooth, leathery wings rubbing up against her.

“Did you taken my copy of —,” Nesta snarled as she barreled her way through the door. She froze, staring at Elain, taking in the sight of her standing rigidly in the middle of the room, her bodice partially askew. _Shit._ Someone must’ve taken the next book in Nesta’s latest favorite romance series.

“Is…someone in here with you?” Nesta asked incredulously.

Elain pasted her most innocent smile on her face. “No, Nesta. Just me.” Before Nesta could press her further, she swiftly added, “I think I saw Cassian sneak into your room and steal some of your books this morning. You may want to check with him.”

“Okay…” Nesta still looked suspicious but thankfully she backed out of the room, remembering to close the door behind her on the way out.

Azriel collapsed to the floor, head peeking out from under her skirts and taking a much-needed breath of air. Considering how deathly still Az had been during the entire encounter, he’d probably been holding his breath to keep from making noise.

“Is she gone?” He turned his head from side to side, scanning the room.

Elain couldn’t help herself as she brought her hand to her face, trying to reign in her embarrassment. “Az, get up.”

The Shadowsinger shimmied out from underneath her and hopped to his feet.

“Elain, I…didn’t see anything if that’s what you’re worried about,” he mumbled, running his hand through his hair.

“It’s not that.” She couldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m just realizing how in over my head I am right now. I’m no good at sneaking around, and I think I just need some time to clear my head.”

He gave her a wink and a bow, as he said, “Then I’ll be waiting for you whenever you’re ready to play with me again,” as he stepped into the shadows and exited her room.

“You could’ve done that the whole time?!” she yelled at his disappearing form, exasperated.

It took her another ten minutes to convince a distressed Nesta, who promptly came back in, that she was not, in fact, having some sort of episode.

**Author's Note:**

> All characters are the property of Sarah J. Maas


End file.
